Shintokyo International Language Academy
Instructor: Maho Koizumi
Maho Koizumi, a part-time lecturer at our school, conducted the 2025 New Teacher Training Program (organized by the Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education). The details of the program and her reflections are reported below.
① Motivation for Attending
While I wanted to improve the quality of my lessons, my daily teaching practices had become somewhat haphazard, and there were times when I was unsure of what to focus on for improvement. Additionally, since I had little contact with teachers from other schools and limited opportunities to learn about innovative teaching methods and practical examples, I decided to take this course to refresh my knowledge and broaden my perspective. When I informed the school of my decision to attend, the Chairman kindly provided financial support for the training fees, and I am deeply grateful for this valuable learning opportunity.
② What I Learned
I learned that it is important to reflect on lessons not based on whether I “did” them, but rather on the learners’ reactions and achievements, and to continuously make improvements. In particular, I was struck by the point that by clearly defining Can-do statements (learning objectives) and ensuring consistency from activities and instruction to practice and assessment, the intent of the lesson remains focused, making it easier to create lessons that yield the same results in different classes or future sessions.
③ Looking Ahead
I intend to incorporate the perspectives gained from this training into my daily lessons and consciously improve my lesson design to increase learner output (through pair/group activities, task assignment methods, and creative feedback strategies). Additionally, I plan to appropriately utilize new technologies, such as generative AI, while keeping in mind their purpose and safety, to help streamline my own reflection process.
